Moses w



(Specimens.)

M. W. POWELL ROOF.

Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES WV. POIVELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROOF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,324, dated October 14, 1890.

Application filed February 27, 1890- Serial No. 341,974. (Speclmensd To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MOsEs W. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Roofs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to make a fire or water proof roof; and the invention consists in the features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of my improved roof as seen from the rear, and Fig.2 a horizontal section taken in line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

A is the wool felt, and B the flax felt, each laid in strips.

In constructing my improved roof I use two diiferen't kinds of material, which I now call wool felt, by which I also mean to include what is commonly known as clot-h, canvas, or sheathing paper, and flax felt, by which I mean what is commonly known as Irish or English felt. The flax felt which I thus intend to use is made from flax, hemp, &c., in a crude state and with long fibers, in substantially the same way that wool felt is made from its material, so that my flax felt is very different from burlap, which is woven, and from linen paper, which is not made from flax or hemp in a crude state and which has its fibers ground fine. These two kinds of felt or material, which I here call wool felt and flax felt, using these terms in the general sense above suggested, are preferably put on in alternate layers.

The felt is laid in the usual way, preferablya layer of wool felt at the bottom, a layer of flax felt on top of the wool felt, and a layer or layers of wool felt on top of the flax felt. It is not essential, however, that the felt be laid in this way, inasmuch as the order may be reversed or changed, as found expedient, and more than one layer of each kind of felt mayalso be put on, when desired.

' Cement may be used between the respective layers of felt in the ordinary way; but this is-not in all cases necessary.

In completing the roof, tile, gravel, sand, or other fire-proof material may be used.

If only wool felt is used, the roof is not durable, being liable to crack or give way, while if only flax felt is used the cement will go through it and cause it to stick to the roofboards, and this sticking will quickly cause it to crack or give way; but by using the two kinds of felt or material together a strong. durable roof is formed, and all the objections above suggested overcome.

It will be understood that as to flax felt I limit myself to a felt formed from raw or crude flax, hemp, or similar material, as distinguished from cloth,paper, or burlap not so formed and not properly covered by the term felt.

As the essential feature of my invention consists in making a roof of alternate layers of wool felt and flax felt, it will of course be understood that I do not limit myself to details or to any particular number of layers or kind of material used for uniting the same. 011 the contrary,I.intend to cover a roof containing one layer of wool felt and one layer of flax felt, or any number of layers of either 01' both kinds of felt, whether an equal number of layers of each kind be used or not, as circumstances may suggest or render expeclient.

I claim 1. In a roof, the combination of a layer of wool felt and a layer of flax felt and means for unitingthe same, substantially as described.

2. In a roof, the combination of a layer of wool felt, a layer of flax felt on top of the wool felt, a layer of Wool felt on top of the flax felt, and cement between the respective layers of felt, substantially as described.

MOSES w. POWELL.

Witnesses:

EPHRAIM BANNING, SAMUEL E. HIBBEN. 

